Levi x Reader | Cold

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Dare

I look over at Hanji and try avoiding Levi's icy glare. No, it isn't icy. It's completely expressionless and empty, the subtle glint usually in it completely amiss.

"Estelle?" Eren gives me a troubled glance. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," I lie, shaking my hands slightly. Eren, however, does the completely opposite of what I'm mentally praying he does and pulls me even closer.

"Are you cold?" He questions. You can have my ja-"

"No, no," I wave my hands. "It's fine."

"If you insist," he offers me a sweet smile that I can't seem to be able to return.

I know for certain that I didn't invite Levi, and I have a feeling a certain meddling brunette has to do with it.

Looking around, I bite my bottom lip. It's too loud for me to think, with Sasha defensively keeping her food from everybody else and Jean trying to impress Mikasa. Hanji's cheerful cackling cuts through all of the tension, but it only makes it feel thicker to me.

"Hey, guys," Armin smiles wide at me. "Can you come help collect firewood with me?"

"Oh?" I give him a curious look. "Why?"

"Hanji said we should start a campfire," he scratches the back of his head. "Since it'll be dark and such."

"But won't the smoke block our view of the stars?" I ask.

"You have a point, but I feel like Hanji isn't really out here to enjoy the stars. She probably just wants everybody to be happy before we go through with our plan tomorrow."

"Yeah," I agree, standing up. "Let's go."

Eren takes my hand in his and I scrunch my face up ever-so-slightly. His touchiness is beginning to piss me off.

I start picking sticks off of the ground, rubbing my hands together to try getting rid of the dirt. I mentally laugh at the thought of Levi being out here in the dirt paths and mud, getting the filth on his shoes.

"Before the fall, I was doing this," Eren says.

"Hm?"

"Before the wall fell. I was collecting sticks with Mikasa."

My mouth takes the form of a frown and I try to lighten the mood. "Hey, why don't we head back? It's getting dark out already. I'm sure this will do."

"Oh, okay," Eren wraps his arms around the sticks we collected.

"I can carry those for you, Estelle," Eren offers.

"No thanks," I give him a sweet smile. "I can take them."

"Alright."

"Estelle," Armin gives me a troubled glance. "Do you think you'll be ready to fight tomorrow?"

"Huh?" I ask, repositioning the sticks in my arms.

"Your injury. If we don't have you fighting with us tomorrow, things could drastically change."

I pull my face into a grimace and sigh. "I don't think I'll be allowed to," I admit.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm injured, and on the Special Operations Squad. I doubt they want to risk my death at any costs. I don't agree with it, but it's how it is."

"I understand."

"Estelle~" Hanji calls, beckoning me towards her with her hands. "Come put your wood here. You two, go put them to the side."

I place my sticks on the already-started fire and watch as they crackle in the flames. The sparks from the wood fall onto the ground. One hits my skin, and it burns slightly, but I just smile. The red and orange are illuminating the night and I like the feel of the heat right against my skin, in an odd way.